


Basically a Superhero

by jacquelee



Category: Death in Paradise
Genre: Gen, all in self defense, just some lighthearted fun, set right after the last episode of season 9, some descriptions of minor violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-30
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:00:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27806476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jacquelee/pseuds/jacquelee
Summary: After Madeleine shows her self defense skills against Finlay Gerard, Ruby can't help but tell that story to everyone willing to listen, meaning in a short time, the entire island has heard some version of it. Including the Commissioner, who is not all that amused.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 4





	Basically a Superhero

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [lighthouse_the](https://lighthouse-the.livejournal.com) for a challenge with the theme "juicy gossip".

A few days after they had closed the Robert Garwood case and Neville had decided to stay on Saint Marie, Madeleine and the others were sitting at their usual table on the porch in Catherine's bar for their evening drink. The day had been uneventful except for Neville's little outburst every now and then when something new was bothering him, which had Ruby and Madeleine share looks with raised eyebrows and hidden grins, but they were already growing accustomed to his little fits.

Now he was regaling them all with a tale of how his skin was starting to get used to what he called the prolonged torture of being under the island's relentless sun, something that had Madeleine smile at him kindly and Ruby chuckle and roll her eyes, while JP was just as stoic as ever, only nodding his head a little.

They were all getting used to their new Detective Inspector's antics and while at first they had been irritated by his eagerness to stay and subject himself to what was clearly akin to torture, something that had been confusing especially for Ruby, it seemed to do him good, or at least that's what he was saying. Madeleine for one could understand wanting to break out of a bubble and try something new, even if the new took some getting used to. 

After all, that was how she had ended up here on the island too, getting away from a relationship that had grown sour and a job she loved but that had started to feel like the same old same old all the time. Here, she had gotten the chance for a new beginning, for something new and exciting and she wasn't going to begrudge Neville wanting the same.

She was taken out of her musings by Catherine stepping towards their table. They had missed her earlier as she had been busy serving other customers but she seemed unusually eager to talk to them, and immediately made a beeline for Madeleine.

"Is it true?"

Madeleine was confused to what she was referring to and assumed she maybe meant Neville staying, but she had been right here when he had announced that, even knowing it earlier than all of them, so that was unlikely. Everyone's eyes were now on Catherine and since Madeleine was the one she had clearly addressed, she was the one who answered, or more asked a question herself.

"Is what true?"

"Is it true that you fought a man and broke his nose?"

Madeleine gasped, wide eyed. That was truly the last thing she had expected.

"What? No, of course not."

Catherine clearly wasn't about to let go that easily and stepped even closer to the table, conspiratorially leaning in. 

"I have heard it from all over the island now but first from my delivery driver, who heard from their barber, who heard from one of the fishermen that Archie Maddox said you were basically a superhero and beat someone up real good for threatening you with a knife."

For a moment, Madeleine was dumbfounded, processing what she had heard, but then her brain put the clues together. Archie Maddox, the ambulance driver. They had called an ambulance for Finlay Gerard, mainly just to adhere to protocol when dealing with an injured suspect though his injuries were very minor. And 'basically a superhero'? Yeah, she had heard that before.

Whipping her head around, she gave Ruby, the obvious culprit, her best glare, but she just grinned, well aware that she was the source of that rumor and not at all repentant.

"What, you are. You should have seen her, she was amazing. She was flying, I swear! And so fast, like, whoa, bam, pow. "

Ruby accompanied her sound effects with mock Karate movements that had Madeleine afraid she would sweep the beers off the table, clearly a concern that JP shared since he took his bottle and hid his mild smile with taking a long sip from it. Even when she was still shocked from the revelation that apparently the whole island was talking about her, Madeleine couldn't help but smile too. 

They might take a little getting used to, but still, Ruby's relentless positive exuberance and brashness were very endearing. It was hard being mad at her when it was so obvious that she always meant well.

Except when she now heard a very familiar clearing of a throat behind her and saw everyone at the table go still, her blood ran cold and she couldn't help but shoot Ruby a scowl. This was not going to end well. She turned around to look at the expected frowning face of the Commissioner. Her colleagues did their usual spiel of surprised exclamations of "Commissioner", half getting up, especially JP basically jumping out of his seat, sitting back down only when the Commissioner lazily waved a hand in their direction, still zeroing in on Madeleine.

"Detective Sergeant Dumas. What is it I hear about you," he paused a little for effect, his scowl deepening, "manhandling a suspect?"

Madeleine swallowed thickly and tried to find the words to explain that she would never break any rules or do anything against protocol, of course she wouldn't, but Ruby immediately jumped in.

"Oh, come on, unc, she was awesome! He had a knife and she saved all of our lives and barely even touched him, you can ask JP and the Inspector" both of them dutifully nodded at that, "and everyone knows those are just rumors anyways. They know it was Finlay Gerard and he is already back working on his boat, all the fishermen saw him. It's just more interesting to talk about how he got his legs broken, you know that."

Not sure if this was really the support she needed right now, Madeleine still felt a little warmer towards Ruby. At least she tried, and apparently, it was working to some degree since the Commissioner's frown lessened and instead he raised his eyebrows. 

"His legs you say? I have not heard that."

Helpfully, Catherine chose that moment to jump back in after having retreated to the background, but of course not far enough to not be able to listen.

"Oh, yes, I have heard one of my patrons say something about that." She waved her hand dismissively. "But certainly nobody believed that, like Ruby said, with Mister Gerard already walking around again."

Now the Commissioner nodded. 

"Very well then, DS Dumas, I trust that everything was handled with utmost adherence to protocol and without any suspect actually receiving any lasting harm."

Madeleine nodded, of course prepared to give a complete recounting of the incident, as she had already written in her report.

"Of course, sir, I employed self defense methods to protect my team and a civilian from a suspect with a deadly weapon. In the ensuing short fight, Mister Gerard suffered minor injuries to his hand, neck and shoulder. An ambulance was called and he was treated and released immediately into our custody, having been charged with threatening a police officer and obstructing an investigation. He proceeded to give us helpful information about the case and was released pending his trial. That is all."

"I see. Then I am satisfied that those rumors are just that. Rumors." He seemed to hesitate for a little moment and Madeleine already started to worry again when he showed one of his rare smiles and sat down at the table. "Although I wouldn't mind hearing that story from the beginning to the end. It sounds like an interesting tale."

Relieved, Madeleine let out a little laugh when Ruby immediately jumped into action and started retelling the story, making Finlay Gerard out to be far more scary than he actually had been and Madeleine far more heroic, but she didn't mind.

Looking around the table, she realized that what she had said was true. This was her team. More than that, at some point in the last few months, these people, Ruby, JP, even Neville now, with all his peculiarities, had become her family. 

And she would do everything she could to protect them, even if it started the wildest rumors.


End file.
